Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)

¹ The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

² "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

These scriptures speak of how Abram left is country and his own people and his father's household to go to a land that God would show him. This speaks of separation from idolatry and from the world and leaving all of this in order to walk with God in separation.

From this one-man Abram God promised to multiply him into an entire nation of people and this nation was to have a godly influence upon all of the pagan nations of earth. It was through Abram and his descendants (the Jews) that all of the peoples on earth would be blessed by God.

Deuteronomy 26:5 (NIV)

⁵ Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.

Abram left this country and his Aramean people to go and wander around in the land God had promised to give to him and his descendants forever.

Genesis 46:26-27 (NIV)

²⁶ All those who went to Egypt with Jacob--those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives--numbered sixty-six persons.

²⁷ With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

It was the descendants of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob (70 total) that went to Egypt and lived there for 430-years and became a great nation of over 600,000-Jewish families headed by over 600,000 Jewish heads of households. This group was led out of Egypt during the time of Moses to go to the land God had promised on oath to give to Abraham and his descendants the Jews forever.

Acts 7:2-8 (NIV)

² To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.

³ 'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.'

⁴ "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.

⁵ He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.

⁶ God spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

⁷ But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' God said, 'and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.'

⁸ Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

God told Abram to leave his country and leave his people and go to the land God would show to him. This was separation and then later his own descendants were treated as strangers in Egypt and this was also separation for his descendants. The Israelites were separated from the Egyptians and separated from the Egyptian idol-worship culture by living in separation within the land of Goshen

Genesis 43:32 (NIV)

³² They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.

Egyptian culture of that time considered it detestable for them to eat with Hebrews and this was a good thing that kept the Hebrews separated from the idolatrous culture of the Egyptians. Even though Joseph was appointed over them as a ruler, these Egyptians still would not eat with him at the same table! God arranged this anti-Hebrew culture of the Egyptians to keep his people in separation in the land of Goshen.

Genesis 46:33-34 (NIV)

³³ When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, 'What is your occupation?'

³⁴ you should answer, 'Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians."

Egyptian culture was anti-Hebrew and it was also anti-shepherd so these Hebrew shepherds were double-detestable to the Egyptians but this is why they were allowed to live in separation from Pharaoh and from the Egyptians and keep and maintain their own Hebrew culture in Goshen without the compromise of being assimilated by Egyptian culture.

The principle to be seen here is that God worked to separate Abram from idolatrous culture and from his idolatrous relatives in the country of his birth. Then God brought him to the Promised Land and told him that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt for over 400-years. This took place when his descendants (70-total) moved to Egypt during the time of Joseph.

Exodus 12:40-41 (NIV)

⁴⁰ Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years.

⁴¹ At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt.

The children of Israel lived in Egypt for exactly 430-years and departed under the leadership of Moses on the very day that this appointed time in Egypt had expired.

This was an entire nation of people who had lived in separation in Goshen and so they remained distinct within their Hebrew-culture (which honors the God of Israel) and were not assimilated into the idolatrous-culture of the Egyptians.

The purpose of separation is to keep God's people distinct and separate from the ways of the world and from the world's system so that they can become a light to those who live in darkness. The moment God's people become like the world then they have lost their separation and can never draw people out of the world and back to God again.

God has always worked to keep his people separate from the world for this reason so they could remain a light to those who live in spiritual darkness and draw those who live in darkness back to God and into God's light.

Matthew 10:34-39 (NIV)

³⁴ "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

³⁵ For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--

³⁶ a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

³⁷ "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

³⁸ and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Separation occurs within families whenever someone within that family chooses to believe in the Lord and follow the Messiah. Jesus depicted this separation as being represented by a sword of division. I have personally seen people who belong to religious families who got saved and immediately suffered great persecution from their relatives. Most of the time these relatives considered these believers to be traitors to whatever type of religion their family happened to belong to. These persecutors considered it preposterous that one of their own family would claim to have found salvation outside of a religious system which they and they ancestors have followed for centuries! The religious-rage instigated by this division within families was murderous! Some were beaten some were scalded and some were locked in confinement for long periods of time or denied food and even tortured. Some religious zealots would even kill their own relatives on the spot if they found out they had betrayed the religion of their ancestors! This type of thing has occurred in many nations and involves many different types of man-made religions whose members are willing to abuse and even kill their own family members for claiming salvation outside of their man-made religious system!

It is for this reason that Jesus said he did not come to bring peace but rather a sword of division and family members would be set against their own kindred with hatred that is inspired by religious fervor! Thus, a man's enemies would be the members of his own household!

If a believer loves his family members more than the Lord and tries to please them by compromise then it means that he is not worthy of the Lord. The believer is to love the Lord more than his own family ties and put obedience to the Lord first place even if it means separation from his own family.

Once someone has become a believer, they can no longer continue in dead religion the same as before. They cannot be involved with dead religious practices that their family members have been in bondage to for centuries. This is particularly true with ancestor worship and all forms of idol-worship which brings a curse from the jealous God! A believer is not allowed to eat food offered to idols or participate in traditions that are clearly unbiblical. This means a separation must take place because they cannot live in peace within the same household of those who require them to participate in religious activity and idolatry that is against the clear commands of the scriptures. It is best for such a person to leave and find a place to dwell where they are free to worship the God of Israel without suffering persecution from relatives that are rabid-religious fanatics!

It should be noted if they reside in a country that is controlled by false religion (and by which they will receive a death penalty for believing in the Lord) then as new believers they should keep quiet and seek a means of leaving that country and going to a place where they are free to worship God without threat of death. It is foolish to immediately commit "suicide" by telling relatives they are saved when they know it will be met with murderous rage by these religious fanatics of their own households. All false religion is the same in that adherents to false religion will typically persecute and abuse and even torture or kill those family members to get saved outside of these many different types of false religions.

Being saved in a household of non-saved religious people brings an immediate sword of division because the believer no longer participates in the traditions and religious culture of their relatives. Non-religious unbelievers are not as likely to abuse saved relatives as much as those who are deceived by false religions and who have served such religions all of their lives and consider it their duty to kill anyone who betrays their false religion. The spirit of false religion is the spirit of murder and many believers have perished at the hands of religious fanatics belonging to the various false religions created by humans on earth.

Separation on a Higher Level

As a believer matures in the Lord and makes a decision to go higher with God then these decisions can also bring a sword of division with other family members who do not want to go any farther. Jesus said that the believer is to count the cost which is a process if repenting and changing and going to higher levels with the Lord. Even if an entire family has been set free from dead religion and are all saved, there can still be a sword of division manifest when someone from that family goes higher with God. If some family members are content to "camp-out" on a certain level but others continue to go higher with God then a sword of division will manifest between them. The one who will not compromise will not be able to remain in fellowship with those who are living in compromise. Most often this is related to "idols" of the heart where some member is serving some sort of unrepentant heart idol and their behavior and motives force a separation when they refuse to repent but instead justify themselves and expect others to participate in the activities designed only to serve their own heart idols.

See the link "Idols of the Heart" for more details.

If those harboring "heart-idols" want to have a family gathering (which is only designed to serve these idols) then a committed believer will be forced to separate themselves from the unrepentant relative and no longer attend their family gatherings. There is separation on every level as God calls believers to count the cost considering if they want to please relatives by compromise or instead please the Lord.

Some nations have a culture which practices ancestor worship and many families involved with such culture require adult children to bow before an image of a deceased relative and ask for their blessing etc. But this is something that is illicit for the believer to do and if they compromise (and say that God will understand if they bow down) then they have in fact chosen to flatter their relatives rather than fearing God more than humans.

Matthew 10:33 (NASB)

³³ "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

Whoever denies the Lord before humans will also be denied by the Lord before the heavenly Father. To bow before an image of a deceased ancestor is displaying a believer's denial of the Lord. Yet many believers compromise for fear of offending their own relatives who practice this type of idol-worship culture. If the believer loves his relatives more than they love the Lord then they will be rejected by God as being unworthy! The Lord must come first place and they cannot compromise. This refusal to compromise is what brings the sword of division between them and those who engage in man-made religious practices which are clearly anti-biblical and idolatrous.

Separation from Ways of World

Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)

¹² Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.

¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Jesus reveals that the ''favor-system" of the world is something that is cursed and should not be part of the life of a believer. Jesus said that if someone has a luncheon or dinner, they should not invite those who are able to repay them by inviting them to a similar feast. Instead they should invite those who cannot repay them by inviting them back.

The principle here shows that the "favor-system" of the world is based upon them doing a favor for someone and expecting that person to also do them a favor in return. But this kind of "giving" is polluted by evil human motives seeking to receive something in return for their giving. This type of giving has no rewards in heaven because they gave expecting to receive something in return for what they give.

I once knew a believer who did a businessman a favor and expected that this businessman would return the favor by giving business to his wife who was involved in real-estate. When the expected "returned-favor" was not granted then this man became offended! However, there was nothing put in writing and no verbal agreement was made but it was only this man's own inward expectations that caused him to be offended. In fact, he was giving this "favor" for the wrong reasons and got offended when his own expectations were not met. It should be noted here that this "favor-system" should have no place in the life of a believer because everything involved with the "favor-system" of the world is polluted by evil motives.

Luke 14:14 (NASB)

¹⁴ and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Jesus warned not to give to those you expect a return of a favor to be granted back to you. Giving should be done without attaching evil-human motives to it so giving to those who cannot repay the gift is "pure-giving" and will be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous. In fact, believers will be judged over how they handle human relationships and interactions on earth and whatever is done out of evil heart motives brings a curse not a blessing. God looks on the heart and it is only the human heart motives are important to God.

The "favor-system" of the world is tantamount to bribery because they are paying for what they want (not with money) but with some sort of favor. This type of thing defiles politics and government and brings poverty to entire nations which operate on bribery and use the "favor-system" to get what they want in life from humans.

When a believer is saved and no longer participates in "bribery" and the "favor-system" then this can bring a separation with those business colleagues that he once dealt with according to the world's system. Believers will have to obey biblical principles and separate themselves from the compromise and evil practices of the world's system that are no longer appropriate for them as believers.

There is separation from the world on every level as believers are faced with decisions to obey God or compromise with humans. If they are looking to humans for promotion or success, they will always compromise but if they are looking only to God for promotion, they will separate themselves from the compromise and grey-areas of the "favor-system" and "bribery" which is a part of the world's system.

If a businessman gives a big check in a church offering and fully expects that he will soon be approached with an offer to sit on the board of directors of that church then he has just bought a position on that board by his giving. This type of giving will have no reward in heaven because of what he was done when he was expecting to receive a "favor" in return. This type of thing happens in churches often because those leading the church are hirelings who are looking to humans as their providers instead of God. They therefore flatter businessmen in numerous ways to keep their money in the church.

I even know of a pastor who generally had a pure heart but he was passive with the elders and deacons who were busy flattering donors in the church. These men would give the big donors "VIP-passes" to all of the church sponsored bible conferences and provided them special seating. The elders granting these favors were the same who counted the offerings and so they knew who the big donors were. Therefore, they took it upon themselves to flatter the money to keep these donors in their church. The pastor however experienced judgment because of his passivity in allowing these wicked elders to carry on this evil system of flattery within his own church.

James 2:1-7 (NIV)

¹ My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"

⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

⁶ But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

⁷ Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

When big donors are ushered into a meeting by a special entrance and given VIP-passes and special seating in the front then this is showing favoritism. Those who employ such tactics are flattering them for their money rather than looking to God as provider. Typically, it is these same rich men who cause trouble in the church but they get away with it and are even offered leadership positions to keep their money in the church. All such flattery of humans for money is evil in the sight of God.

When an otherwise good church begins to engage in flattery of businessmen for money it shows they are not looking to God as provider but are using the "favor-system" of the world. If a rich businessman gives them big donations, they will repay the favor with a position on the board or donor plaques on the wall with his name engraved upon it or reserved seating or VIP-passes and numerous other "perks" only designed to keep their money in the church.

This is all part of the "favor system" of the world which has also crept into the church. When a pastor is passive with deacons and elders and allows them to "flatter-the-money" then their silence is actually approval in God's sight and they are the first to be judged for this disorder that exists within their own churches. I know of a pastor who died a premature death because of this type of disorder when he turned a blind-eye of passivity toward this while his elders and deacons engaged in this wicked and worldly behavior. This type of activity shows that they only care about money and not about the things of God.

But God judges the heart motives and if a pastor in charge of a church permits such activity and does not confront it then he is the one who will be judged by God for it. The Spirit of God will depart such a church when it has been given over to flattering humans for money and all of the evil that is associated with giving big donor businessmen an opportunity to buy a place of control on a board of directors of such a church.

This is where the principle of separation comes into play because if a pastor has been confronted about what his evil-elders are doing in the church but this same pastor fears to offend his big donors then he has slipped into covetousness and greed. Such a man will have his once "good" church spoiled when it is now controlled by humans instead of God. If such a man is confronted with the disorder that exists within his church but he refuses to repent or correct that disorder then it is time for separation to occur.

Amos 3:3 (NIV2011)

³ Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

This scripture has application to the fact that two parties cannot walk together unless they are in agreement. If one of them is engaged in compromise and will not repent or correct the disorder then a separation must occur. If an Apostle or Prophet delivers a rebuke to such compromised Pastor and his congregation then a decision must be made. Will they repent and put an end to the disorder or will they harden their necks and continue the same as before the rebuke? Once the rebuke is delivered, they will sort themselves out by their choice to either repent or continue with their disorder. Once they made a clear refusal to repent then it is a time for separation of those who are godly from those who are unrepentant sinners who were confronted by Apostles and Prophets but refused to repent when their sin and disorder was exposed. Congregation members should also separate themselves when they see that there is no repentance and things continue to follow the same disorder as before the rebuke was delivered.

Matthew 5:46-48 (NASB)

⁴⁶ "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

⁴⁷ "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

⁴⁸ "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The unbelievers in the world's system will do good to those who do good to them because they are expecting that they will be repaid with favors when they show favors to others. But this system is evil and wicked because they are not looking to God for promotion but only looking to humans and using flattery to get what they want.

There is a worldly book called, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" which displays how the world's system operates. This book is based upon the philosophy of Confucianism which seek to employ “flattery” and “good manners” as a tool to get what they want. While this may sound better than trying to get what they want at the end of a bayonet, it is still full of evil motives of using others and this system is part of the world's system.

The essence of this book is that when someone is in a conversation with another, they should let the other talk about themselves and even encourage them by asking questions along this line. The basis of this thinking is the idea that all humans are self-centered and are only interested in themselves. If all of the attention is placed upon them then they will be happy and remark about what a wonderful person this guy was (who allowed them to talk about themselves all of the time). This is a result of feeding an "idol" of themselves and talking about that which is "Number-One" in their lives (which is themselves)!

But when this same tactic is employed on a mature believer (who knows about dying to the self-nature) then this will backfire miserably! Instead of making him feel happy to talk to such a flattering person, the mature believer will be disgusted and feel revulsion that someone assumes they are so shallow and vain as to be won over with empty human flattery! Such nonsense only works with those who are unbelievers or carnal Christians who are so full of themselves as to love to have someone feed them some empty flattery. Such people will do all kinds of favors for someone who first paid them the favor of giving them flattery!

But it should be noted this is all vanity and the one doing the flattery has no love whatsoever for the "dupe" he is flattering! He is only seeking to use them to get what he wants from them by having them repay his favor of flattery by giving him something he wants.

Favors Given in Socializing

In some Christian circles some woman may invite a number of Christians ladies over for a prayer meeting or bible study. Afterward they may have a time of so-called "fellowship" but again the worldly "favor-system" shows its ugly face! If for example if they have four temperament-types present within that ladies’ group then each of them will respond according to their own temperament-type.

See the link "Temperament-Types" for more details.

The choleric woman will want to solve the problems of everyone who utters anything about a problem in their presence. They feel satisfied if they can take charge and be a problem-solver as a choleric woman!

The sanguine woman will want to be the life of the party and have all of the attention. She can harvest more human attention in the Christian gathering than she could receive as an unbeliever in the world. She can present prayer requests and problems and even inquire about something all as a means to solicit the attention which sanguine-types crave.

The melancholy woman may want to spout some tears and harvest some feminine emotions and sympathy from others in the group.

The phlegmatic woman may love to needle others with some dry humor and find amusement in pointing out their illogical ideas.

The "favor-system" even comes into play at such a Christian-ladies meeting because each person has to pay a “favor” of sitting and listening to others and in exchange they get to have the whole group sit and listen to them when it is their turn. So, they are all harvesting human attention under this system as they "scratch-the-back" of others and then have their "own-back-scratched" as well!

But those who are mature believers and can see through the farce of this "favor-system" employed in a social group like a prayer-meeting or bible study group. As they mature, they will come to a place to recognize the vanity of this nonsense and they will come to separate themselves from such a group.

Thus, as people mature in Christ and gain knowledge, they will no longer participate in things that they once engaged in as immature believers. A separation occurs when they mature and put away childish things and repent of "idols" in their lives. Going to Christian social gatherings only to feed idols of the heart is not going to appeal to a mature believer who can recognize sin and idolatry even when it is disguised as a prayer request or as an innocent inquiry for knowledge when it is actually only a solicitation for attention.

The worldly principle found in the book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is often employed by such Christian social meetings as they all have a chance to talk about themselves and declare that the ladies who flattered them with such attention are such good people. But it is nothing more than feeding the idol of lust for human attention and sympathy which is rooted in their sin nature.

It is also interesting that the author of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" was divorced from his own wife because such nonsense cannot be employed on a wife because she can see through such vain flattery. It did nothing to save his own marriage and is useless except for those who are vain and want to be flattered and are willing to pay favors in return for empty human flattery.

Separation from that which is Immoral

2 Peter 2:7-8 (NIV)

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men [8] (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--

Lot was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men as he lived among the wicked. This however was in great contrast to Abraham who lived in separation by remaining in remote areas and living a nomadic lifestyle grazing livestock and living in tents. Lot supposed he would have a godly influence upon the wicked but he himself was defiled by living in that immoral place. Whenever possible a man should seek to have separation from the world and from the world's system and unite with others who also seek to live godly lives in the fear of the Lord.

When a believer is saved, they will have to have a separation between themselves and worldly friends because they no longer can do the same things that wicked people do.

1 Peter 4:3-4 (NLT2)

³ You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

⁴ Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.

When someone is saved, they can no longer live their lives the same way as godless people do so there must be a separation from those who are godless. A believer is to seek out those who also long to live holy lives for the Lord.

There are many types of separation and it all boils down to the believer walking with God and no longer behaving as unbelievers do. They must repent of sin and self-indulgence and heart-idols and be cleansed and live holy lives in the sight of God. All of this involves separation from the world and separation from the evil system of the world which contains the "favor-system" and "bribes" and looking to humans for provision or promotion rather than having faith in God.

Conforming to Culture of Society

Culture is comprised of the traditions and behavior of humans within a group or society. All nations have developed their own types of culture including America. Attending funerals and weddings and holidays and family gatherings are all expected as part of existing culture and society in most nations.

The term "fellowship" means to adapt to one another or a group of people so that everyone within that group will adopt similar thinking and modes of behavior. What is considered right or wrong is often a product of group-conditioning as people adapt themselves to one another in a group or society.

However, when the thoughts and ways of unbelievers or carnal Christians come into conflict with a mature believer then they must make separation from those they once were in fellowship with in the past. They cannot allow their minds and thoughts to adapt to those who carry vain or perverse thinking.

Isaiah 55:7-9 (NASB)

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

⁸ "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

⁹ "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

The wicked people are to forsake their wicked ways and those who are unrighteous are to forsake their unrighteous thoughts. If they will forsake that which is evil and turn to God in repentance then God will have compassion on them and pardon their sin. God's ways are higher than human ways and God's thoughts are higher than human thoughts. It is part of the activity of a true believer to renew their minds to think like God thinks and see things from God's perspective.

If they are in fellowship with heathen relatives or past friends who are given over to perverse thinking then it will vex them with the twisted logic they are forced to endure at some social event or family gathering. This is a real cause of separation so that their minds will not be polluted by the thoughts and contamination of those who do not renew their minds to think like God.

The unrighteous person is to forsake their unrighteous thoughts and repent and renew their minds by reading God's word so that they will think like God!

Ephesians 4:23 (NLT2)

²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

The believer is to have his thoughts renewed by the study and meditation of God's word so that they will think like God and forsake their unrighteous thoughts. Anything that is contrary to what God has said is unrighteous. The world is filled with unrighteous thoughts because the point of view of the world is perverse in every way imaginable!

Colossians 1:21 (NIV)

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

This scripture speaks of how unbelievers are alienated from God and are enemies in their minds because they think thoughts that are contrary to God's ways. The worldly influence of media and newspapers and magazines and movies and entertainment all seeks to lower moral standards and "influence" human minds to think like the world in perverse manner. It is for this reason that the believer must separate themselves from all forms of ungodly media and internet and news and entertainment that seeks to make them dull and passive about accepting that which is perverse in God's sight.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

The believer is to set their hearts and their minds upon heavenly things not on earthly things. It is for this reason that believers must separate themselves from the world and from worldly influence which seeks to defile them by all forms of worldly media. Without separation a believer will become a "carnal-Christian" and become just like the world and become defiled by the world.

1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

¹⁶ For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The world is full of moral defilement and watching anything of the world can make a believer dull spiritually and defile them to accept the ways of the world as if that is normal to them! Anyone who loves the world cannot have the love of God within them. It is for this reason that the believer is to separate themselves from the world including things related to the craving of sinful humans, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. All of that is from the world and those who love the world will not see the kingdom of God.

Joining together with worldly people and having fellowship with them will result in a believer becoming defiled by adapting their own thinking to those with whom they are in fellowship with. It is for this reason that believers must separate themselves from all evil influence of the world and from worldly relatives and the corrupt media and news and politics and entertainment that all contains moral defilement.

Abraham separated himself from the idol-worship culture of his heathen relatives and moved to a place of separation to God. It is out of separation to God that a believer can draw others out of the world to God. But if they join the world and become like the world then their separation is lost. They have no means of drawing others out of the world when they have become worldly themselves. Like Abraham they must be separated to God so that they can have a godly influence on the rest of the world which lies in spiritual darkness.

Separation from Unbelief

Separation from unbelief deals with the fact that a believer cannot have fellowship with someone who is an "unbeliever" concerning bible doctrines.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NKJV)

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

While the scripture above can be applied to a believer not being yoke together with an unbeliever in marriage but nevertheless this same principle can also apply to any believer who tries to yoke together with those who are unbelievers concerning bible doctrines.

For example, I know of denominations who are only "partial-gospel" because they believe only in salvation and nothing more. They throw out any other doctrine of the bible (expect salvation). Therefore, as far as healing is concerned or speaking in tongues, they are unbelievers and refuse to believe in these biblical doctrines.

Even though they believe salvation it would still be "unequally" yoked for a "full-gospel" believer to be joined together with these "partial-gospel" Christians who do not believe in everything that the bible teaches.

During my college days I was told that I should not date an unbeliever so we assumed that those who were not saved should not be part of those we would date (for seeking potential spouses as young college-age singles). But the fact of the matter is that a believer can also be unequally yoked with a Christian as well if such people do not believe in the "full-gospel" message.

I discovered this when I dated a girl who was a graduate of a bible school so I assumed she must be a believer. She worked as a nurse and she told me she had a back problem and was concerned about how she could continue employment and provide for herself with this back pain. In my family we always pray to God for help as the first thing we do for every problem so I immediately asked if she would like prayer for healing. I and my family have seen numerous healings as we trusted in the promises of God concerning divine healing. But this young woman was enraged that I dare even suggest that I could pray for her! She ran me out like a rabid dog and said that healing has passed away and she has many teaching lessons from her former bible school to prove it! She was fighting for her "right" to be sick and was not going to have anyone even suggest a prayer of healing for her!

It was at this time that I discovered how far apart we really were as far as bible doctrines were concerned. This young woman had been crazy about me and utterly in love with me right up until the moment I suggested prayer for her back problem. Then all hell broke loose!

It was ironic that she behaved as if she hoped I would drop this issue about healing so that we could continue in the good relationship we had before this doctrinal difference arose. But in fact, there was NO-WAY I was going to drop the biblical truth of healing for anyone on earth (including her)! She attempted to extract an apology from me and hoped to get me to renounce healing for her sake but instead I walked out of her life and never saw her again!

As far a healing was concerned this young woman was an unbeliever in that respect. I however depend upon this biblical truth on a constant basis and exercise my faith against every type of sickness that seeks to attach itself to my physical body. I consider all sickness as being "unauthorized" intrusion upon my body and I actively resist all evil symptoms in Jesus Name. I have been healed of numerous things and I continue to resist symptoms even if the struggle may go for months before I see the full deliverance. I refuse to accept the baggage of the devil and resist it in Jesus Name!

For me to marry a woman (even a Christian and bible school graduate) who does not believe in the "full-gospel" would be to have been unequally yoked with an "unbeliever" even if this woman was saved. She was still an unbeliever in respect to every type of biblical doctrine (other than salvation).

I believe that I was redeemed from sin and sickness and poverty and the entire spectrum of things that Jesus died on the cross to redeem humanity from. But her former bible college actively taught against every doctrine in the bible other than salvation! This is an example of teaching doctrines of demons in a bible school!

1 Timothy 4:1 (NASB)

¹ But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

The bible clearly teaches that demons have doctrines and these doctrines are aimed at causing God's people to embrace the devil's goods. What better way to get Christians to accept sickness from Satan other than to teach them that sickness is from God! If a Christian is deceived by this demonic doctrine then they will embrace sickness rather than resist it in Jesus Name.

Whenever they follow demonic doctrines however, their faulty logic becomes totally insane! For example, their demonic doctrines teach that sickness is of God and God makes the Christian sick in order to teach them a lesson or cause patience through this suffering or other "religious" sounding words. But if they follow this faulty logic then if they should have a sickness like a boil then they may as well go find a rusty nail from a dirty pig pen and puncture their boil with that dirty nail. As long as God is teaching them a lesson (according to this faulty demonic logic) then why don't they make the boil worse so they can partake of the full chastisement of the Lord and gain full character development and learn a “full-lesson” from God through this affliction! While making a boil worse by puncturing it with a rusty dirty nail may sound insane this is however no more insane than the demonic doctrine which deceives these people!

Why do these same people who believe sickness is from God then at the same time take medicine and go to the doctor and seek to be healed of this demonic affliction? If it is from God then why are they resisting God by trying to get healed by using medication? This does not make any logical sense whatsoever! Yet those deceived by doctrines of demons are often militant about fighting for their right to be sick! They will even become hostile and drive off anyone in a rage who even suggests that they could be healed! They will proclaim that God made them sick to teach them a lesson and their sickness is from God!

I have met many of them who were like this and I know of a woman in a wheelchair who was parallelized from the neck down in an accident. But the same woman receives a great deal of human praise and sympathy and attention for keeping a good attitude in this physical suffering. But people like this often will get angry if anyone even suggests that God could heal them! They can grow accustom to the attention they receive as a victim of physical disease and this is yet another hindrance to them for receiving healing.

I also personally met a young man who was injured in a water-skiing accident when he was doing daredevil jumps as a staff-member at a water park to entertain visitors. He also was paralyzed from the neck down from his accident but he was a believer and he knew that God would heal him. However, there was an unbelieving nurse in the quadriplegic ward where he was a patient and she told him he was denying reality and should resign himself to the fact he would never walk again! But he resisted her unbelief and said that he would be healed and sure enough he was healed by God through his own faith. When I met him, he completely whole and walking around and was handing out literature describing his miraculous healing in the Philippines as he was seeking to glorify God for the healing he had received.

Here we have two cases of the same type of spinal injury and the resulting paralysis and one was healed and one was not healed. But the one who was healed believed in his heart that he was going to come off his sickbed and he exercised his faith and received his healing.

I also read a similar type of testimony in the Dr. Cho book "The Fourth Dimension" where one paralyzed woman was miraculously healed by the prayer of faith of David Cho. This healing became sensational news and another paralyzed woman heard the story and came to Cho for prayer but was not healed. She could rattle off healing scriptures like a machine gun but she did not receive her healing because the word she had was only "mental-assent" and not living "Rhema" word within her heart. There was a great difference in the two cases of the one who was healed and the one who was not.

See the link "Cho-The Fourth Dimension" for more details.

There are many factors that affect healing including the spiritual maturity of the believer seeking healing. There have been numerous unbelievers and new believers who received divine healing in healing crusades like those of the late T.L. Osborn and Reinhard Bonnke and many other evangelists. Most of these were unbelievers or new believers whom God was showing himself real to. But the mature believers (who had been were saved for decades) typically do not receive healing by the laying on of hands or by prayer for healing in a crusade. They are required by God to exercise their own faith for healing according to bible scriptures.

See the link "Factors that Affect Healing" for more details.

Nonsense of Demonic Doctrines

It is amazing however that people will believe demonic doctrines that are complete and utter nonsense! I have heard denominational people who were deceived by demonic doctrines say the most outlandish things!

They said that unless I can go to a hospital and empty that hospital out entirely (leaving not one sick person left inside) then that is proof that healing has passed away!

[Normally I do not repeat the insanity of such people but this is an illustration of what I am talking about and how these people (deceived by demons) will follow utter nonsense!]

I believe the opposite however and if I can go to a hospital and find only one person who has faith to receive healing then I say that this one person who was healed is proof that healing has not passed away and healing is still relevant for our present times!

Those deceived by demons even say things like, "If healing is real then you would never get sick and so you would live forever! But God does not promise that the human body will not die but that a believer can have a full life. In fact, a believer can glorify God in their bodies by having total good health with nothing amiss or sick when they go home to be with the Lord.

Psalm 91:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

The scripture says that God will satisfy the believer with a long-life so they can expect up to 70-80 years or more until they are satisfied with living. When their lives are over then they can go to sleep in the Lord without any sickness in their bodies (as many men of God have in past generations).

F.F. Bosworth used his faith believing that when he died he would have no sickness in his body. He actively resisted sickness all of his life and he was healthy when he went home to be with the Lord. His family said that he saw the glory of God and was already greeting people in heaven before his natural body just fell asleep and he passed away peacefully without sickness.

Excerpt from Christ the Healer

In 1958 Fred Bosworth returned from a year of meetings up and down the mountains of Japan. In January he turned eighty-one. His family was surprised to see him retire to his bed. When asked what he was doing, he explained that God had shown him that he had "finished his course," his ministry was finished, and it was time to go Home. He said, "I sure don't want to hang around down here!" All the children came home, for the first time in sixteen years, and there was a great final reunion. My father, F. F. Bosworth, had prayed, asking God to help him glorify God in his death as he had in his life—to die without sickness. About three weeks after he took to his bed, we were around the bed talking, laughing, singing. Suddenly Dad looked up; he never saw us again. He saw what was invisible to us. He began to greet people and hug people—he was enraptured. Every once in a while, he would break off and look around saying, "Oh, it is so beautiful." He did this for several hours. Finally, with a smile on his face, he put his head back and slept. We took turns sitting with him. My wife, Stella, was sitting with him when she suddenly realized that he had stopped breathing. There had been no struggle, no pain, no sound, no death rattle. The psalmist had described it correctly—God had simply removed his breath and he was home! "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" This is the testimony and ultimate triumph of F. F. Bosworth and CHRIST, THE HEALER. Page 233-234.

See the link "Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth" for more details.

The insanity I have heard from denominational people (those deceived by doctrines of demons) that you need sickness to die is nonsense. This makes a clear case why we should separate ourselves from such unbelief carried by these people. There is no correcting them or helping them when they are militant about their deception and will fight for their "right to be sick" resisting anyone who dare even suggest that God could heal them!

In fact, God himself cannot help such people because they actively resist the biblical truths of God's word.

It is interesting that Satan was portrayed in the form of a serpent in the garden because a snake has only a tube-body without arms or legs. Snakes are almost helpless except for the venom that comes out of their mouth. In the same way, Satan has no power over the believer whatsoever except for the venom of deceit that comes out of his mouth. Satan has access to the human mind and he can insert his lies and deception in the form of thoughts. These thoughts are the source of all demonic doctrines. People deceived by these false doctrines will spew out all kinds of nonsense in militant fashion. Thus, Satan can deceive people into embracing his goods of sickness and poverty simply by deceiving them to think that these are gifts of God!

But if a believer knows the truth, they can cast down these demonic thoughts and resist them in Jesus Name by quoting the truth to contradict these satanic lies.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV)

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Believers are to cast down every satanic imagination and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Never should they permit a satanic thought to remain in their mind even for a moment.

It is for this reason that believers have to separation themselves from unbelievers and this includes professing Christians who belong to denominational groups who are "partial-gospel" and reject everything in the bible (other than salvation).

If Satan cannot keep them from being saved, he will keep them from being healed. If he cannot keep them from being healed, he will keep them poor. The devil is always trying to deceive Christians to receive less that what was provided for them by the atonement of Christ!

Therefore, separation from unbelief most certainly pertains to separation from those who are deceived by doctrines of demons. There is no helping them or changing them when they are militant about embracing doctrines of demons and will fight anyone who says contrary to their deception. There is no other way of dealing with them other than to separate from them and separate from their unbelief and leave them to themselves.

Ephesians 5:11 (NIV)

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Doctrines of demons are also part of the deeds of darkness which are a product of Satan and a believer should have nothing to do with them but rather speak the truth and expose these evil things. If those deceived do not want to listen then have nothing more to do with them whatsoever!

Matthew 18:15-17 (HCSB)

¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.

¹⁶ But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.

¹⁷ If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you.

In the case of unrepentant sinners who refused correction there was to be separation from them and they should be treated as an unbeliever and just like a tax-collector who was a turn-coat. But in the same way this can also be applied to those "partial-gospel" Christians who are deceived by demons and there is no one on earth who can tell them otherwise because they are hardened in deception and even militant in defending their doctrines of demons. Under such a circumstance a believer has no other option than to separate from them and count them as an unbeliever and a turn-coat to the truth of God. As far as healing is concerned, they are an unbeliever because those who are only "partial-gospel" typically reject every doctrine in the bible except salvation only.

Under no circumstances should a single unmarried believer marry anyone who is deceived by doctrines of demons because that is equal to marrying an unbeliever and they will have no fellowship or agreement with them in marriage. How can they become one-person in marriage with someone who does not believe the say way that they do?

Genesis 2:24 (NLT2)

²⁴ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

In my own case both my wife and myself were grieved as singles by those who embraced doctrines of demons and tried to fight with us about it. We both said that we would never marry someone like that and we prayed for a spouse who believed the same as we did. We rejoiced to find that we both embraced "full-gospel" bible doctrines and so we grew spiritually together in marriage and are in perfect unity together in what we believe. This was a great benefit in becoming one-flesh or “one-person” together in marriage because the most important aspect of becoming “one-person” is to have the same beliefs together as a married couple.

The most important decision a person can make (aside from salvation) is the spouse which they will marry. It is far better to remain single for life than to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever and this most certainly includes being married to someone who does not believe the same way that they do. They must ask God for a spouse who has the same beliefs because this is a vital aspect for them to become one-person with their spouse in marriage.

Amos 3:3 (NKJV)

³ Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

The one-flesh marriage relationship speaks of a man and woman becoming one complete person together in Christ. Everything that is missing in the man is restored when he is married. The man and woman then become “one-complete” person in marriage. But if one of them is deceived by doctrines of demons then how can they walk together in agreement and mutual understanding? Having a mutual understanding is the most important part of marriage or they will not be able to walk in unity together.

This is true of a married couple but also applies to anyone within their circle of friends. If they are not in agreement, they will have to be placed outside of their inner circle and if they are militant in unbelief, they will have to be severed from relationship entirely!

We thank God for every type of healing that we receive. For example, if someone does not have to change their eyeglass prescription for several decades then that is something to rejoice about because that is still a form of healing. But if a wicked unbeliever "partial-gospel" Christian points at their prescription glasses as evidence that healing has passed away then that marks them as an “unbeliever” as far as healing is concerned and we have no such fellowship with those who are militant in such doubt and unbelief.

Even if a believer has struggled with many different symptoms over the course of their lives but they have not been in the hospital when they are over 65 then that is still something to rejoice about as well. Struggling against the devil's symptoms does not mean healing has passed away but only that we are engaged in a war and we have to fight to overcome and take possession of our own Promised Land. Joshua and his men had to fight to take possession of what God already gave to them and the same is true for all believers. They must fight and resist the devil until they receive their healing no matter what type of symptoms the devil tries to bring against them. They fight until they win and never give up!

But those deceived by doctrines of demons do not even fight against sickness but embrace it instead as if it was a gift of God! This is in stark contrast to a believer who uses their faith for healing. There is nothing in common between those who have faith and those who are full of doubt and unbelief and their own words will expose them.

Numbers 14:6-10 (NIV)

⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes

⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.

⁸ If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.

⁹ Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.

The only two men out of over 600,000 Israelite heads of households who spoke positive and in agreement with God's word were Joshua and Caleb. When these men spoke positive words to the people that they could obtain their Promised Land then the people became enraged at them. The unbelieving people were so distraught in mind by meditating on satanic thoughts of unbelief that they wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb to death for speaking positive!

This is how the separation is made because when a believer speaks positive and speaks in line with God's word then those who are unbelieving become enraged and want to kill them! It is obvious that such people are deceived by demons. Those who are full of unbelief will want to destroy anyone who does not agree with them and their doubt and unbelief!

I have often seen the same reaction in those who are "partial-gospel" Christians who want to kill anyone who even suggests that they can be healed. There is no convincing them or changing their demonic point of view so the only solution is separation.

Two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement and a "full-gospel" and a partial-gospel" Christian also cannot walk together in agreement either.

Pulling the Faith Out of You

I also know of a man who was diagnosed with a terminal disease. He was the pastor of a large church but he had some common sense about how faith operates. So, what he did was that he never told his congregation about his diagnosis but instead he went home and got busy in the word of God meditating on healing scriptures and building his faith. He took a sabbatical from his church and worked meditating on God's scriptures full-time until he was completely healed.

The reason he did this was because he said he did not need anyone to help him die! This is what happens for instance when people visit the patient in the hospital and speak negative words to the person struggling with sickness. Those who are ignorant about faith and the power of words might say something negative like, "Oh, Pastor what is your wife and children going to do without you when you die?" Spouting tears and sobbing as if the patient is already dead and, in the coffin, does not help their faith. Those who know about faith will post a trusted guard at the door and forbid anyone to enter who does not know how to operate in faith and allow only those who speak positive words of faith like Joshua and Caleb.

There must be a separation from unbelief and those coming with tears and sobbing and sympathy and pity who speak unbelief can sink someone's faith and cause them to succumb to the sickness they are battling with.

Tough Love

I know of someone who was struggling with terminal disease and the doctors gave them up to die. But when they asked someone for prayer the person responded that they would not waste their prayers on someone who was just going to lay there and die! So, the patient said if you will pray for them then they would get up healed. So as soon as he was prayed for this patient got up by faith and suddenly received his complete healing!

Faith has to be aggressive and tough rather than succumbing to human sympathy and pity which will sink faith and send sick people to the grave. It is therefore important that a person struggling with sickness to separate themselves from unbelief and from those who are unbelieving about healing and surround themselves only with those who believe. Then they can be encouraged and they can receive their healing. Sympathy and pity are enemies of faith and just be resisted rather than yielded to.

Fellowship in a Full-Gospel Church

It is of vital importance that a believer fellowship in a "Full-Gospel" church because if they hear words of faith, they will be energized to believe God. When healing is taught to a congregation then healing will manifest among the people. When prosperity is taught then the people will rise up out of poverty and have their needs met. David Cho taught prosperity as part of the Full-Gospel message and caused his nation of South Korean to rise up out of abject poverty after the Korean War. Only God has the power to prosper a nation and only God can heal millions of people. If people have a good church to attend, they will rise up out of poverty and out of sickness and receive all of the benefits of the redemption!

Separation from dead religious churches is important because teaching doubt and unbelief can erode faith. Attending a "full-gospel" church which teaches the complete redemption benefits will cause the congregation to be saved and healed and prospered and they will receive everything which was provided for them by the redemption of Christ.

People cannot go beyond what they believe and they cannot believe without knowledge so their beliefs are based upon what they have been taught. Good spiritual food will cause their faith to rise up so they can receive from God! God is a faith God and all his blessings are appropriated by faith.

Doubt and unbelief will kill faith so never should they attend or support a church which teaches doctrines of demons designed only to destroy their faith in God.

Abraham left his people and went to the land God would show him and so those who want to prosper in God and receive healing must separate themselves from all forms of unbelief. The unbelieving will not enter their Promised Land but only those who are like Joshua and Caleb and believe what God said will come to pass.

A believer should never expose what he believes to the wicked or else they will try to destroy his faith. Better to be quiet and keep their faith to themselves and separate from those who are full of unbelief. If no separation is made, they will bring a person of faith into complete ruination.